The Summer I Turned Pretty
by AllieCatDiva
Summary: Hi, my name is Kaitlyn Jericho and I spend every summer on the Santa Cruz beach. For as long as I can remember I have been in love with Cody McMahon but he's never noticed me before. This summer I'm about to turn sixteen and everything's about to change because this ... is the summer I turned pretty.
1. Chapter 1

They started to circle each other slowly glaring at each other, completely forgetting that I was there. Cody lunged at Dolph, shoving him away roughly. Dolph shoved back at him in retaliation and Cody responded with a punch to Dolph's face. I started to scream at them to stop. But these were Stephanie's boys. Stubborn to the last breathe. The boys started to wrestle around, grabbing, hitting, cursing and breathing heavily. They knocked over a vase and blood started to drip onto the sand in front of the beach house. I realized I was screaming hysterically. I had never seen the boys like this before and I knew whatever was happening, was bigger than me.

But wait. I should start at the beginning. The beginning of summer that everything changed. The summer I turned pretty.

We were driving to the Santa Cruz beach. I was sitting in the passenger seat, my brother driving and my mom passed out in the back. I was _dying_. We had been driving for what felt like years when in actuality it had only been a day and 2 hours. There was only 1 hour to go and I could not wait to climb out of the car and stretch my legs!

"Can we go any faster Daniel? I'm dying!" I begged my older brother. He spared me half-a-glance before shaking his head grinning.

"You've said that every hour on the hour since we drove into California" he reprimanded. I shrugged and started to fiddle with the radio but Daniel slapped my hand away.

"Stop! I was listening to that song!" he stated. I slapped his hand away and lunged to change the radio.

"Nooo! That song makes me want to rip my eardrums out!" I responded. We started to bicker which awoke my mom.

"I just closed my eyes for a second and you two are already arguing!" my mom, Trish, laughed. I stuck my tongue out at Daniel and he made a face at me.

Daniel and I have a love-hate relationship: as in we love each other from a distance but when we spend too much time together, we end up wanting to stab the other's eye with a fork. Daniel just turned eighteen this last May and he's headed off to college in the fall. This may even be the last summer he spends in Santa Cruz…

Anyway, we drove on for a while and soon enough we were in Santa Cruz. I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding and rolled my window down to breathe in the ocean air. Houston was nothing like this! Daniel elbowed me.

"What are you doing? Lost in thought again huh Katie? Is it Cody again?" he teased. I shoved him back. For once, the answer was no.

"First of all, you KNOW how much I hate it when you call me Katie and second, NO!" I snapped. Trish leaned forward.

"Do you still like Cody, Kaitlyn? I thought after last summer there might have been something going on between you and Dolph?" she asked. I blushed.

"What? You and Dolph? When did that happen? Jesus sis. Is there any guy you aren't into?!" Daniel moaned. He always hated when the McMahon boys paid me any attention. He felt that they were only _his_ best friends and although he's dating my friend, I shouldn't even look at his.

"There's nothing going on there! We're just really good friends! Sheesh mom. Just because two people hang out, doesn't mean we like each other!" I stated annoyed. Trish shrugged.

"Okay okay. I'll let it go!" she smiled. Daniel looked like he wanted to say something more but held back. I was telling the truth. Nothing did happen and nothing ever will.

Cody and Dolph were Stephanie's sons. Stephanie McMahon, aka the most powerful but sweet woman ever. Trish and Stephanie have known each other forever. They had started out both liking Stephanie's husband Hunter and were bitter enemies but my mom slowly stopped caring about Hunter and they became fast friends. Sisters almost.

Stephanie told me that when I was born, she knew I was destined for one of her boys. She said it was faith. Trish, on the other hand, laughed and said that was fine as long as I had plenty of lovers before I settled. Imagine that coming from your mom. Yeah, I cringed too.

Trish, Daniel and I had been going to Santa Cruz every summer since I was a baby, since before I was even born. For me, Santa Cruz was my world and my whole life was measured in summers. It was as though I wasn't living until it was June and I'm at that beach. The McMahons had owned the beach house on Santa Cruz for generations and it practically became tradition to go there every summer. Since my mom was an honorary McMahon, the tradition was passed onto us too.

Cody and Dolph are brothers but they couldn't be more different. Cody is the older one at seventeen. He is tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Some guys look at you like they want to have sex but he was one of those guys that looked at you like you two already had sex and he couldn't care less about it. He had this smirky mouth, the kind that you want to kiss away. Cody is the one I've been in love with since forever.

Dolph on the other hand, he's my best guy friend. At sixteen years old, he's all blonde and blue-eyes. His smile lights up a room and you will rarely find him in any other mood but happy. He lives to make other people smile.

We finally pulled up in front of the beach house and the boys were sitting on the front porch. I leaned over Daniel and honked the horn twice. _Come help with the bags, stat_!

I stayed in the car and watched Daniel step out. Dolph jumped up from the porch and met him halfway in a man-hug. Cody, on the other hand, played it cool and ambled up to Daniel slowly before giving him a head nod.

Trish was next out of the car. She gave me a look before she stepped out and I nodded her ahead. I just wanted to step back and breathe in the summer air and take in the house before I was swept away by Dolph and Cody.

"Hey boys! Where's your mother?" Trish asked.

"Trish! How are you?!" Dolph grinned as he hugged my mom.

"She's upstairs. Taking a nap" Cody answered avoiding Trish's hug. Hmmm that was odd. Usually Stephanie would fly out of the house the second our car pulled up. Trish nodded at the boys before telling them to bring our bags into our rooms before disappearing into the house.

I stepped out of the car then and slung my bag over my shoulder. I took a deep breath in order to prepare myself for when I saw them. They didn't notice me at first but then they did. They really did and in two different ways.

Cody gave me a glance-over, the kind of way that boys in a mall check you out. His eyes lingered at my cleavage, which had practically grown two sizes from last summer. I could feel my heart starting to pound in my chest. Cody had never looked at me like that before in my whole life, like I was a woman and not just Daniel's kid sister.

Dolph, however, did a double take. A real double take. He was staring at me like he couldn't even recognize who I was.

Cody hugged me first but it was a careful hug. He was trying not to get too close to me. He smelled like his signature cologne. His cologne, which he had saved up all summer three years ago to buy. That scent was burned into my brain and anytime I smelled it, I always pictured Cody.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?" he asked, his lips close to my ear causing shivers to go down my spine. I touched the end of my two-toned hair, a touch self-conscious. I was still getting used to my new hair. All my life, I hated my boring brown hair and I had always wished to do something different. Something rebellious. Something to get Cody to finally notice me.

"What? You don't like?" I asked teasingly while I tried to hide my need for his approval. Cody smirked.

"I think I preferred you with brown hair" he said finally. That stung. I shoved him away from me a little.

"That's too bad. My hair is here to stay" I retorted but before I could even turn around, Dolph came up behind me and lifted me up.

"Little Katie is all grown up!" he crowed spinning me around.

"Shut up! I'm only like a year and a half younger than you! Now put me down!" I squealed, giggling. I always put up a big fuss when he lifted me, but honestly, I loved it. Dolph was the only one I allowed to do this. The way he held me…. I just trusted him. Dolph, in comparison to Cody, always smelled like the ocean. He practically lived in the water and didn't care for colognes or aftershave.

"Same old Katie!" Dolph grinned, but he was staring at me like he didn't know who I was.

"Something's different about you" he said. I glared at him.

"Alright alright! I dyed my hair! Move on!" I snapped but Dolph smiled and shook his head.

"No… it's not that. It's something else. You're just different…" he told me. I shrugged and headed back over to the car. All three boys followed me and we unloaded the car quickly. I grabbed my things and headed up to my room. After seeing Cody and having him look at me the way he did, I needed a second to breathe. I grabbed a stuffed bear from my dresser and hugged him close to my chest. Everything was the same but also not. The boys had finally looked at me as more than just the kid sister.

**Hi loyal Fanfic readers! I'm back with a new story; one that is based on the Summer I Turned Pretty book by Jenny Han. Now I apologize if I take some lines straight from the book but I will be changing the storylines in the book so give it some time before you judge! I hope you like this so far and let me know if you think I should continue or not! What do you think of Cody and Dolph? Who would you prefer Kaitlyn with right now?**

**By the way, hopefully the ages of my characters weren't too confusing but if they were, here they are again. Daniel Jericho is 18, Cody McMahon-Helmsley is 17, Dolph McMahon-Helmsley is 16 and Kaitlyn Jericho is 15. Trish is Daniel and Kaitlyn's mom and Stephanie is Cody and Dolph's mom. You will meet more family members and friends in later chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

I glanced down at the bear in my arms and touched the pink bow it was wearing. Buttercup meant so much to me but how I got her wasn't a happy story.

_The first time I had my heart broken, I was twelve years old. It was in this same beach house and it was one of those extremely rare nights when the boys weren't all together. Daniel and Dolph went on an overnight fishing trip with some of the other guys on the beach. Cody was grounded and of course I wasn't invited, so it was just us and our moms in the house._

_I had been lying on my stomach, reading in my room when Cody walked in._

"_Hey. What are you doing tonight?" he asked me. I folded the cover of my book over quickly and sat up._

"_Nothing. Why?" I answered him, trying to keep my voice even. I couldn't believe that Cody stopped by. I mean I had left my door open just in case he wanted to drop by but I had never expected him to pop in. _

"_Wanna go to the boardwalk with me? I'll even buy you a caramel apple" Cody asked. He sounded causal, almost too casual. I knew there should have been a catch but I was too excited that he finally noticed me to care._

"_Sure, sounds like fun" I told him before standing up._

"_Hurry up then. My mom and Trish are going to the movies so they can drop us off" Cody told me before strolling out of my room. As soon as he left, I shut the door and started to dance around my room. This was it. I quickly changed into shorts and a tank top before brushing my hair out of my braids. My hair was shoulder-length that summer so I lifted it and put it into a ponytail before I decided against it and shook it out again. I wished I was one of those girls who could do cool things with my hair but that was never me… I finally just left it down and practically danced out the door._

_In the car, Stephanie kept looking at me through the rearview mirror and smiling. I really wanted to smile back at her but I was afraid Cody would see me so I gave her a stop look._

"_Have fun you two!" Stephanie told us before winking at me._

_Cody bought me a caramel apple and got himself a soda. He seemed nervous which made me feel less nervous. As we walked down the boardwalk, I swung my arm back and forth loosely just in case he wanted to… you know, grab it or something. But nothing. Cody was silent as we walked and I wanted to say something to break the silence but my mind was blank._

"_Let's head over to the ring toss" Cody stated finally. I glanced at him shyly and nodded. He wanted to win me a stuffed animal! I could just imagine showing it off to AJ all-casual like. Oh that? Cody McMahon won that for me!_

_Cody was making a bee-line for the ring toss and I had to speed-walk to keep up with him. I started to babble about something random as we walked but my voice trailed off when I saw he wasn't even listening. Cody was watching the girl who worked at the ring toss._

_She looked to be about fourteen and the first thing I noticed about her was her shorts. They were bright blue and really short. They were exactly like the shorts I wore two days ago. I had felt so confident about buying those shorts with my mom and Stephanie but when I wore them, the boys couldn't stop laughing at my chicken legs. I bet Cody wouldn't laugh at this girl's legs, after all they looked a lot better on her._

_I glanced between Cody and the girl and suddenly I realized what was going on. Cody had come to the boardwalk for her, not me. She was thin but curvy. Her long blonde hair reached her waist and her smile was mesmerizing. I could see why he was staring._

_My lip started to tremble but I sucked it in and steeled myself. Cody had only brought me because he didn't want to come alone and he knew I was the only one who wouldn't laugh at it or give him a hard time. That was it. That was the whole reason for this boardwalk charade._

"_Do you know her?" I asked him, hiding any emotion in my voice. Cody jumped a little. He had forgotten I was even there._

"_Who? Her? Not really" Cody stated trying to be cool. I bit my lip._

"_Do you want to? Know her I mean" I asked him impatiently. He shrugged casually but I could see right through it. I grabbed his shirt and walked up to the booth. The girl smiled and I smiled back, but it was a fake smile. I was playing for Cody._

"_Hi! I'm Kelly! How many rings?!" she asked enthusiastically. _

"_Three please" I told her, "I like your shorts by the way"_

"_Thanks! Your tank top is so cute!" she answered grinning. If Cody wasn't breaking my heart with her, I could see myself being friends with this girl._

"_They're nice" Cody said as he cleared his throat. I gave him a look._

"_I thought you said that they were too short" I told him slightly grouchily before turning back to Kelly, "Cody is so overprotective. Do you have a big brother?"_

"_No" she laughed before turning to Cody, "Do you think they're too short?"_

_Cody blushed. He seriously blushed. I had never seen him do that before and I had a feeling this was going to be the last time. I made a big show of looking at my watch._

"_I'm going to go ride the Ferris wheel before we leave. Win me a prize, okay Cody?" _

_Cody nodded but he wasn't really paying attention. I said bye to Kelly and walked away quickly trying to hide my tears. I ran behind a dumpster and slid to the ground. How could I have been so foolish? Of course Cody didn't like me. I wasn't blonde or curvy or had a smile that lit up the room. I was just plain and boring old Kaitlyn._

_Cody ended up winning me Buttercup and he said Kelly told him that I would love that bear. I looked away from him and lied. I told him I would have liked the unicorn but thanks anyway. Kelly and Cody dated all summer and I had never seen him happier. I ended up leaving Buttercup at the summer house. I didn't need that reminder in my life._

I stood up from hugging the bear and shook the cobwebs out of my head. That was three years ago. I have to get over it. I quickly unpacked and headed down to the pool where I knew the boys would be. They were lying around on the deck chairs. As soon as Dolph saw me, he shot me a wink and jumped up.

"Ladies and gentlemen-men-men!" he began dramatically, "I do believe its time for our first belly flop of the summer!"

I inched away slowly. Too fast a movement and they'd chase me.

"No way!" I cried out but Daniel and Cody stood and began to circle me.

"Oh no belly-button. You can't fight tradition!" Daniel said. Cody grinned evilly.

"I'm too old for this!" I said desperately, walking backwards but Dolph came out of nowhere and grabbed my waist. That's when Cody grabbed my feet and Daniel grabbed my right arm. Dolph let go of my waist and grabbed my left.

"Ready?" Dolph grinned. They started to swing me back and forth like I was a sack of potatoes.

"I hate you guys!" I cried out over there laughter.

"One" Dolph began.

"Two" Daniel continued.

"Three" Cody finished. They launched me into the pool, clothes and all. I hit the pool with a loud smack. Even underwater, I could hear them laughing.

The belly flop was something they started when I was five. I think it was Daniel's idea… And I hated it. It always made me feel powerless and it was a reminder that I was an outsider in their little group, all because I was a girl. I used to cry about it and run to my mom, but it never helped. The boys always accused me of being a tattletale and my mom would say to just enjoy it.

This time was going to be different. If I acted like I enjoyed it, some of their fun might be ruined.

"You guys are 10 years old!" I laughed as I came to the surface.

"For life baby sis. For life" Daniel said smugly. I wanted to smack the smug look off of his face but then I had a better idea.

"Hey Cody. I think you twisted my ankle" I announced as I pretended to be unable to swim over to them. Cody raised an eyebrow.

"I'm pretty sure you'll be fine" he stated as he walked over to the edge of the pool. I glared at him.

"Well then at least help me out!" I exclaimed, holding my arm out. He squatted and put his hand in mine.

"Thanks" I stated happily and I gripped his hand tight and pulled on him as hard as I could. He stumbled and fell forward into the pool with a large splash, soaking both Daniel and Dolph. Daniel, Dolph and I died of laughter. I couldn't believe it worked.

Cody's head popped out of the water and he swam over to me in three strokes. At first I was worried that he might be angry but he just gave me a slow smirk that made my insides turn.

"You can't catch me!" I giggled, swimming away. Daniel and Dolph glanced at us before deciding to head in. I was kind of sad to see them go but at the same time glad.

"You're too slow!" I crowed but as I did, I slowed down and Cody grabbed my foot.

"Let go!" I gasped. Cody shook his head and pulled me closer.

"I thought I was too slow" he murmured, moving his hand up to my ankle slowly. Suddenly the air was abuzz with this energy. He stroked my inner calf and I couldn't breathe. For a second I wished Daniel and Dolph were still here but I don't know why. I always wished I could be alone with Cody.

"Let go" I told him again, short of breathe. Being this close to Cody made me feel dizzy and nervous.

"Cody, let go of me" I said it again, one last time, even though I didn't mean it. And he did. Cody reached out and dunked me but it didn't matter… Because I was already holding my breath.

Later that day, after I dried off, Stephanie came down the stairs, finally awoken from her nap, to greet us. She apologized for missing our big homecoming but Trish and I waved her off. She still looked half-asleep. Stephanie and Trish hugged first, long and hard, both women crying.

"I missed you so much Steph" my mom sobbed, pulling Stephanie closer. Then it was my turn. Stephanie swept me up into a hug: the kind that you wonder how long it will last and who will pull away first.

"You look thinner" I told her, partly due to it being true and partly because I know she loves to hear it. Stephanie is always on diets and watching what she ate but to me. To me, she was perfect.

"Thanks honey" Stephanie answered, finally pulling away. She looked at me from arm's length and shook her head.

"When did you go and get so beautiful? Oh Katie" Stephanie asked emotionally. I blushed self-consciously, glad that the boys were upstairs and unable to hear this. Stephanie shook her head again as though she was in awe.

"You've always been gorgeous honey but now, you're beyond stunning. I can see you're going to break a few hearts! You're going to have an amazing summer! This will be a summer you're never going to forget" Stephanie stated. Stephanie always spoke in absolutes like that and when she did, it sounded like a proclamation, like it would come true just because she said it.

And the thing is, Stephanie was right. This was a summer I'd never, ever forget. And not just because I finally felt pretty, oh no. Something huge would change this summer and I would never see it coming.

**Well…. What do you guys think? The ending was pretty cryptic huh? Are you liking Cody any more than before? What about the relationship between Kaitlyn and the boys? How do you feel about Stephanie? In the next chapter, you'll see a bit more of Dolph! Reviews make me write faster!**

**Also in the flashback, Kaitlyn was 12, Dolph was 13, Cody was 14 and Daniel was 15 just in case you didn't get it!**


	3. Chapter 3

Every summer, our first dinner at the beach house is the same. Stephanie makes this big pot of spicy seafood chowder with lots of shrimp, crab and squid! Ever since I was a little girl, I lived for the squid! Stephanie would place the pot in the middle of the table with a few loaves of French bread, bought from a nearby bakery. Each of us picked a bowl and we helped ourselves to the pot, dipping the ladle in and out of the pot all throughout dinner. Normally us kids had Coke while Stephanie and Trish had wine but tonight was a little different.

"I think you four are old enough to drink now, don't you think Rish?" Stephanie asked my mom as we all sat down. Stephanie sat at the head of the table with Cody and I on either side. Dolph sat beside me and Daniel sat next to Cody. My mom sat at the other end of the table. She looked hesitant.

"I don't know… None of the kids are 21 yet… Actually, never mind. I'm being the boring parent again aren't I?" Trish laughed. Stephanie uncorked the bottle.

"You Trish? Never!" she grinned, pouring a little wine for each of us, "Besides, it's a special night. It's the first night of summer"

"It's not the first night of summer, mom" Cody stated rolling his eyes, draining his glass of wine in two seconds. That was not how someone new to alcohol drank... I guess a lot can change over the course of a year.

"Yes it is! Summer doesn't start until our friends are here!" Stephanie announced, reaching across the table and touching my hand and Cody's too. He jerked away, almost accidently. Stephanie didn't notice but I did. I always noticed Cody. I think Dolph did too because he quickly changed the subject.

"So Katie! Check out my new scar!" Dolph bragged as he lifted up his shirt, "I scored five field goals that night!" Dolph was the quarterback on his football team this year and he was extremely proud of all of his battle scars.

I leaned in closer to get a better look. It was a long scar that was just beginning to fade, right across the bottom of his stomach. It was clear that he had been working out. His stomach was flat and hard, and it hadn't looked that way last summer. I almost started to lean forward to touch him, practically drooling, before I mentally slapped myself. This was Dolph, my best friend! Not Cody! What in the world was I thinking?

"Wow" I finally said grinning. Cody snorted.

"Dolph just wants to show off his six-pack," he said, breaking off a piece of bread and dipping it into his bowl, "Why don't you show all of us and not just Kaitlyn?"

"Yeah. Why don't you show it over here?" Daniel teased grinning. Dolph grinned back before turning to Cody.

"You're just jealous because you quit the football team!" he announced. Cody quit? That was news to me.

"Cody, you quit, man?" Daniel asked surprised. I guess he didn't know either. It was strange. Cody was _really_ good. When he and Dolph played together, he was the QB and Dolph was just the running back. Stephanie used to mail us newspaper clippings about him all the time.

Cody just shrugged. "It got boring," he said indifferently but Dolph rolled his eyes.

"What he means is, _he_ got boring" Dolph stated before he stood up and ripped off his shirt, "Pretty great huh?"

Stephanie and Trish both started laughing, hard.

"Sit down Dolph" Stephanie said in between laughing. Dolph shook his head playfully before looking down at me.

"What do you think Katie?" Dolph asked as he winked. I blushed as I looked back at him.

"Pretty nice" I agreed still blushing. Dolph grinned and I noticed the tips of his ears turn red as he blushed too. I looked away from him quickly, my face hot.

"Now it's Kaitlyn's turn to show off!" Cody sneered mockingly as he glared between the both of us. I raised an eyebrow. What was Cody's problem? Was he seriously jealous of Dolph? Or was it something else?

"Kaitlyn doesn't need to show off Cody. We can all see how beautiful she is just by looking at her." Stephanie told him. I smirked.

"Oh no. Cody wants to see. So see" I announced and stood up and whipped my shirt off. Daniel screamed and threw his hands over his head while Trish and Stephanie laughed again. I was wearing a black sports bra under my gray tank top but Daniel didn't hesitate enough to see.

"How do _my_ abs look Dolph?" I grinned. I had been working out a little too over the year but my abs were nothing like Dolph's. Dolph looked away, blushing hotly, and he mumbled something into his bread. I glanced at Cody discreetly and noticed his appreciative look.

"Alright alright Kaitlyn. Put your shirt back on" my mom stated and I winked at her before I did as she said. Once I put my tank top back on, Daniel glared at me.

"Jesus sis. You scared the shit out of me! I thought you really were about to flash us! Warn a guy next time!" Daniel whined. I smirked.

"Don't worry about that. No one here deserves it" I retorted, winking at Cody. Thank god AJ finally taught me how to flirt. Cody raised an eyebrow.

"Well I'm hurt. I thought we were close" Cody said. Stephanie looked as though she wanted to say something but I spoke up.

"Yeah right. You wish" I nodded. Dolph nudged me with his shoulder.

"Onto more safe topics. Tell us all about the hot friends you're going to set me up with Katie" he told me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Didn't we already try that once? Don't tell me you forgot all about AJ Lee already" I questioned. Everyone burst out laughing, even Cody. Dolph shook his head, grinning.

"You're not nice Katie. Not nice. But don't worry about me. There are plenty of cute girls at the country club. Worry about Cody. He's the one missing out!" Dolph stated. The original plan had been for both Cody and Dolph to work as lifeguards at the country club pool but when Dolph was finally old enough, Cody changed his mind at the last minute. He now works at the fancy seafood buffet instead.

"Oh that's right. You and Kelly broke up again, didn't you?" Daniel asked.

"Dolph has a big mouth" Cody huffed. Daniel was right. I had completely forgotten. Kelly was the same girl from the ring toss three years ago. She and Cody started dating again at the end of last summer when they met on the beach. According to Dolph, they were all lovely and cutesy until April when they started having some problems. They finally broke up about a month ago.

"So what happened?" I asked curiously. Cody glanced up at me before looking down. His shoulders moved up and down before he cleared his throat.

"We broke up," he said quietly.

"Steph is right. You are a heartbreaker!" I stated. It was meant to be a joke but it came out seriously. The words echoed in my head and sounded like an announcement.

Cody flinched. "She dumped me," he said flatly. To a stranger, he would sound bored but to someone who knew him, like me, it showed how heartbroken he really was. I couldn't believe he was upset over a girl. Even when they broke up the first time, he was all relaxed about it. Cody was the kind of guy who dates, has sex and then dumps.

I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. Kelly had _two_ chances to be with Cody and yet she dropped both of them! I couldn't imagine anyone dumping him. He was perfect! I mean if_ I_ were dating Cody, I would _never_ break up with him!

"Why did she break up with you?" I asked. I could see my mom giving me an _It's none of your business _look but I had to know. Cody was looking into space glumly.

"She said I changed," he said, roughly. Stephanie took in a harsh breath and Dolph looked anxious now.

"So did you?" I asked confusedly.

"I don't know. Everyone changes. You did," he said before standing up abruptly and shoving his chair back before storming away. Stephanie looked worried and Dolph glanced at me.

"You should have just let it go" Dolph murmured quietly.

I was beyond confused and felt like, once again, I was the only one who didn't know what was going on. I was once again left out.

**Well? What do you think? Are the McMahons hiding something or is Kaitlyn just feeling left out because she expects it by now? What did you think of the scene where Kaitlyn and Dolph took their shirts off? Wouldn't **_**you**_** want to be close enough to touch Dolph's abs?!**


	4. Chapter 4

Right from the beginning, the boys were a unit. Cody was the leader and his word was law even though Daniel was older. Daniel was second-in-command and Dolph was the joker. I was left out a lot because I was the youngest and a girl. When they were young, they thought I had cooties but as they grew, they decided that I just wasn't strong enough to do what they wanted.

When I was 10 years old, Cody decided that the boys were going to sleep on the beach and make a campfire. He was a boy scout that year and knew how to do all that stuff.

I watched them plan all night, jealously. I wanted to tell them not to take all the graham crackers and marshmallows but it was neither my place nor my house.

"Make sure to grab the flashlights Daniel" Cody directed. Daniel nodded quickly and I remember being surprised. Daniel never followed orders before but the truth was that he looked up to Cody although he would deny it to his last breath. It had always been that way. Cody had this aura around him that made people flock to him and listen.

"Don't forget the cards Dolph!" Cody added as he rolled up a sleeping bag. Dolph saluted him sarcastically and danced a jig, which made me giggle.

"Sir yes sir!" he replied before turning to me on the couch, "Cody is bossy like our dad. You don't have to listen to him if you don't want to"

"Can I come too?" I asked hopefully. Normally the boys don't pay any attention to me so the fact that Dolph spoke made a bubble of hope form.

"NO! Guys only! Right Cody?" Daniel jumped in but Cody looked hesitant.

"Sorry Katie… Boys only" he told me and Cody did look sorry for a second but then he went right back to rolling up his sleeping bag. I turned away from them and faced the TV.

"That's alright. I didn't want to go anyway. Who wants to sleep on the sand in the dark?" I muttered while trying to seem strong. It didn't work and my bottom lip trembled.

"Ooh watch out! Katie's going to cry!" Daniel teased before glancing at Dolph and Cody, "When she doesn't get her way, she cries. Our dad ALWAYS falls for it"

"Shut up Daniel!" I shouted but I really was worried I might cry. I didn't want to seem like a crybaby and prove Daniel right!

"Katie's going to cry!" Daniel sang. Then he and Dolph danced in a circle together, chanting.

"Leave her alone" Cody finally said. Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.

"What?" he asked confused.

"You two are so immature. Leave her alone" Cody said, shaking his head. He picked up his gear and headed towards the door. I sank into the couch, arms crossed. I would never be a part of their gang.

On the way out, Dolph turned and smiled at me in such a happy way that I couldn't help but smile back. Over his shoulder Cody called out, "Good night Katie."

And that was it. I was in love.

Later that night, after our first night in the beach house dinner, I headed up to my room to sleep. But that story of when I was ten years old kept bouncing around and I kept tossing and turning. Finally I gave up and crept downstairs in my coral pink bikini.

Ever since I was young, whenever I couldn't sleep I would go for a swim in the pool. I'd swim laps until I got tired so when I went to bed, my muscles would be nice and sore but also relaxed. I loved having a pool. I had known at a very young age that the McMahons had a lot more money than the Jerichos did. It was just one of those common facts. Anytime Stephanie would try to buy me something expensive, my mom would _tsk_ and tell Stephanie no.

Anyway, swimming at night was one of those things that I did alone. But two summers ago, Stephanie found me in the pool around midnight. I thought I would be scolded but she joined me. I'd be underwater or doing my laps and I'd feel her dive in and start to swim on the other side of the pool. We wouldn't really talk, we'd just swim but being around Stephanie was just comforting. It was the only time that summer that I saw Stephanie without her wig.

Back then, because of the chemo, Stephanie wore her wig all the time. No one saw her without it, not even Trish. Stephanie always had the prettiest hair. It was long and silky and light brown. I would always remember sitting with her and my mom and brushing Stephanie's hair whenever the boys left me out. Her wig couldn't even compare even though it was real human hair and the most expensive one out there.

After she was off chemo, her hair grew back but she kept it shoulder-length. It was still pretty but it wasn't the same. Looking at her now, you couldn't even picture it long like mine.

I finally reached the pool and dove in. I swam four laps but on my fifth, I kicked something hard. I came up for air and saw it was Cody's bare leg. He was sitting on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet. I guess he had been watching me the whole time and he was smoking.

I was suddenly aware of how tiny my bikini actually was but I refused to let him think anything was wrong. I climbed out of the water and sat next to him. There was silence for a few minutes, the only sound coming from my feet swishing back and forth in the pool and Cody taking in a drag.

"I'm sorry…." I finally said. Cody glanced over at me with an amused condescending look.

"For what? I'm the one ruining your swim time"

"You know what. I'm sorry for bugging you about Kelly at dinner" I told him quietly.

"Whatever. I'm over her. You didn't bother me. Nothing you do effects me" Cody stated smugly. The look on his face made me want to take my apology back. He was the one person who could make me doubt myself.

"Fine whatever. So what are you doing here?" I asked angrily.

"I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk. Besides I knew you were out here. You always swim at night" he said, shrugging. Cody made it sound like it was no big deal but I knew he only came out here to smoke.

"Since when did you start smoking?" I asked suspiciously. Not only did he apparently know that I swam out here all the time but he had picked up another bad habit during the year.

"I don't know. Earlier this year maybe" Cody stated vaguely. I rolled my eyes.

"You should quit. Smoking is bad for you" I replied before I sank into the water again. The air felt thick with tension.

"Why? What will you give me if I do?" he asked teasingly. I flipped onto my back and started to float gently, staring up at the stars. Dolph had taught me the constellations one night when we were alone. I followed the Big Dipper with my eyes.

"Nothing," I finally said still staring at the night sky, "You should quit for yourself"

"You're right" Cody said and the quiet was broken. He stood up and ground his cigarette out on top of his beer can. "Good night Katie and don't stay out here too late. You never know what kind of monsters come out at night"

Everything felt normal again. I splashed his legs as he left. "You suck" I called out after him.

One summer, when I was five, the boys convinced me that there was a monster on the beach that liked to kill five-year-old girls with brown hair and hazel eyes. I practically never left the house that summer and only at the end of summer did my mom find out what was wrong. That was the one and only time the boys got in trouble for teasing me.

After Cody left, I fell back onto the water again and began to float once more. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. It was thudding like a metronome. Cody was different. I'd sensed it when we first arrived but now I knew. He had hardened himself from the outside world. Why? I didn't know for sure. The only thing I knew was that he had changed, and yet the way he made me feel was still the same. It was like I was at the top of a roller coaster and I was scared yet excited.

**So what do you think of Cody? What's going on with him? Does he even like Kaitlyn as much as she likes him? And finally you know what happened to Stephanie in the past. But is that why the McMahons were acting weird at dinner? After all, this was almost six years ago! REVIEW!**

**Now I know that some of you were a little confused during the last chapter and that's how it was supposed to be. We're following this story through Kaitlyn's point-of-view and what she knows, you know. Also, a reviewer asked which McMahon boy Kaitlyn would end up with but that's a secret for now! You tell me, which boy do you prefer?**


	5. Chapter 5

Later that week, my mom found me in the kitchen.

"Have you called your dad yet?" she asked me. I shook my head.

"No." I answered licking my spoon of yogurt.

"I think you should call him and let him know how you're doing" Trish told me. I rolled my eyes.

"I doubt he's just sitting at home worrying" I retorted. My mom gave me a look.

"Have you made Daniel call him yet?" I asked her annoyed. Why was it always me that she bugged?

"No. But your dad and Daniel are about to spend two weeks together setting up his dorm room at the University of Houston. You on the other hand will not see him until the end of summer" Trish said evenly. Why did everything have to be so reasonable with Trish?

"Call your father" Trish said, handing me the phone and leaving. She always left the room when I called my dad, Chris, as thought there might be something I need to tell him that she can't know.

I didn't call my dad. Chris should be the one calling me. He was the parent not me. But it didn't really matter anyway. Dads didn't belong in the beach house. Not Chris and not even Dolph and Cody's dad Hunter. They could visit but this wasn't their home like it was ours.

Mr. McMahon, or Hunter as he asked us to call him, would pop in throughout the summer, an occasional weekend here and there but always the first week of August. Hunter was the CEO of a big company and had trouble getting away for any length of time. And anyway, it was easier without him there.

When Hunter came to town, everyone stood up a little straighter. We were a little more serious. We didn't fight, we didn't argue. We were all nice little kids. Well except for Stephanie and my mom. It was actually funny to watch them interact. See the thing is that Hunter is extremely intimidating. He is built like a tank but Stephanie and Hunter are the most amazing couple and they are so in love. I could not imagine them apart like my parents were. My mom and Hunter would bicker all the time but it was a nice bickering because they always smiled and laughed.

Hunter was handsome I suppose. But to me, Stephanie was much more beautiful. That however may be due to the fact that I love Stephanie more than almost everyone and how can anyone compete with that?

Dolph had inherited Hunter's brown hair although he bleached it blonde two years back. He had Stephanie's blue eyes, curls and happy attitude. Dolph was all smiles and everyone wanted to be his best friend. Luckily that spot was already mine. Cody on the other hand had Stephanie's brown hair but Hunter's brown eyes, jaw and steely attitude. Cody could be the sweetest person you ever knew but he could also rip you apart in seconds. It all depended on which side he wanted you to see. I've been subjected to both over the years.

Hunter always gave us twenty dollars and told us to go buy something sweet. Cody worshipped him. His dad was his hero, for a longer time than most people. I think Chris stopped being _my_ hero when I saw him with his busty blonde girlfriend, Stacy Kiebler I think, after he and my mom got divorced.

It would have been easy to blame my dad for the divorce but if I blamed anyone, it would be my mom. Chris at least cried but Trish went on as though nothing was wrong. Out family had broken up and she didn't care. When we got home from the beach that summer after the divorce, Chris had already moved out. We saw Chris most weekends and we'd stay at his apartment, which smelled like mildew no matter how many air fresheners you sprayed.

That's part of why I long for summer. I don't have to stay at my dad's lonely little apartment. I mean don't get me wrong, I miss my dad a lot but I wish I could see him at our real house.

Trish found me later on that day when I was sitting on a beach chair in front of the house, reading a magazine.

"What are you doing today?" she asked me casually. I glanced up at her and put the magazine down a little.

"This?" I more, asked than said. My mom had this way of making you feel like what you were doing was wrong.

"Maybe you could start on that summer reading for English" she advised, hands on her hips. She had that look on her face, the kind that meant trouble. I quickly thought over what I did recently and other than not calling Chris, I couldn't recall why I might be in trouble.

"Is Cody doing drugs?" Trish finally asked as she cleared her throat. I almost choked on my saliva but I caught myself. I tried to be cool.

"Of course not" I told her, before turning a page in my magazine, "Why are you asking me anyway? Cody doesn't talk to me about anything. Ask Daniel"

"I already did. He doesn't know and he wouldn't lie" Trish said. I could feel her watching me carefully. I didn't know what she was looking for. Cody wasn't on drugs. Sure he drank and smoked but that didn't mean he was shooting up!

"Well I wouldn't either!" I exclaimed, raising my eyebrow at her. Why was Daniel a more reliable source than me? Cody and Daniel were practically brothers. If Cody were doing something, Daniel would not be the one to rat him out. My mom sighed.

"I know. It's just that… Steph's worried. Cody's been acting different lately. He's even quit football" Trish stated.

"Well I quit soccer and you don't see me running around with a bong!" I retorted rolling my eyes. Trish pursed her lips.

"I should have known you would defend him to the last breath" she muttered. I raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Never mind. Can you promise to tell me if you see or hear anything?" Trish asked me, finally.

"Mom, relax. He's not doing drugs. Besides! You're one to talk!" I elbowed her playfully. Trish bit back a smile.

"Don't start Kaitlyn" she chuckled.

The first time Trish and Stephanie smoked pot together, it was at this beach house and it was pretty stupid of them to think we didn't know. It was one of those rare nights that we were all sitting in the living room. I was thirteen. Cody was sitting on the couch listening to his iPod while Dolph and Daniel were playing Call of Duty. I was lying on the couch reading, trying to show the boys that I was smart.

I think it was Daniel who smelt it first. He originally thought that one of the guys had farted but we slowly determined it was pot. Cody was the one who told us it must be for his mom because of her chemo. I don't think Dolph knew about the chemo at first because he looked very confused and hurt. He scratched the back of his neck and looked at the ground, worriedly. Daniel and I exchanged a look. It was always awkward whenever Stephanie's cancer was brought up because we were outsiders. We never knew what to say so we tried to ignore it like Dolph mostly did.

Trish and Stephanie came down the stairs a little while later, giggling like two teens that just snuck into their parent's alcohol cabinet. Daniel and I exchanged another look but this time it was a horrified one. Apparently Trish had joined in. My mom went into the kitchen to find something to snack on but Stephanie walked over to me. She touched my hair lightly which I loved. She was much more affectionate than Trish because she had always wanted a daughter.

"How's Pride and Prejudice so far?" she asked me. It's my favorite classic novel now but back then, I hated it. But I didn't wanted Stephanie to know because she was the one who recommended the book to me. I had just opened my mouth to lie but Cody beat me to it.

"She hasn't turned a page in over an hour" he stated calmly, his headphones still in. I glared at him but secretly I was thrilled he noticed. For once, _he_ had been watching _me_. But truthfully, it was normal. Cody noticed everything so to be noticed by him was not a compliment; it was a matter of fact.

"Don't worry. It's boring at first but it'll grow on you!" Stephanie smiled. Trish and Stephanie stayed downstairs for a while longer, giggling and tripping around before returning to their room. Throughout all of this, Dolph had not said a word. He just kept looking at Stephanie and then back to the TV as though he was worried she would vanish if his back was turned.

The next morning, our moms were under the assumption that we had gone to the beach, which was true, but Dolph and I came back for a snack. We heard them talking as we walked up the porch steps. Dolph stopped suddenly at his mom's voice.

"I hate myself for thinking this Rish but I almost think I'd rather die than lose my breast" Stephanie's voice carried from the kitchen. Dolph froze and looked as though he stopped breathing. He slumped onto the steps and I joined him, reaching out and taking his hand gently for support. He looked at me wide-eyed and I squeezed his hand slightly. _I'm here for you_ I tried to convey. It seemed to work because Dolph squeezed my fingers back.

"I _know_ you don't mean that Steph" my mom responded. I used to hate when my mom spoke like that and I guess Stephanie did too because she did not sound happy when she spoke.

"Don't tell me what I mean" she snapped, her voice harsh and angry. I had never heard it like that before. Trish surrendered and Stephanie started to cry. Dolph gripped my hand tighter, almost to a painful level, but I let him do it. This was the only way I could think of helping him. This was the moment when we became real and true friends. We finally had something in common, a secret only between us. Soon enough Stephanie stopped crying and they were back to laughing.

We stood up and I started to let go of Dolph's hand but he looked at me trembling so I left my hand in his. We walked hand-in-hand back to the beach in silence. What was there to say? When we got back to our stretch of the beach, we sat down on the sand quietly, finally letting go. Cody and Daniel had just gotten out of the water and noticed that we were back.

"What's with you guys?" Cody asked in a bored voice, drying his hair with a towel. Normally I would have been sneaking peeks at Cody without a shirt but all I could think about was Stephanie crying in the kitchen.

"Nothing" I said, pulling my knees up to my chest. Dolph, who was beside me, did the same.

"Did you guys have your first kiss or something?" Daniel teased. Normally I would have blushed but I knew that nothing close to that happened. Still, I felt Cody's eyes on me.

"Shut up" I told Daniel quietly before glancing at Dolph to see if he was okay. He still looked a little frightened but he didn't seem to be affected by what Daniel said.

"Awww! I knew it!" Daniel teased as he jabbed me in the shoulder. I told him to shut up again but he started to sing, "Katie and Dolphy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G"

"Leave us alone Daniel" I exclaimed before turning to check up on Dolph again but the boy in question stood up and walked back to the house without a word. Daniel called after him but he never responded.

"Just leave him alone" Cody finally said. There were times like now that I noticed how well they understood each other. Seeing Cody so protective of Dolph made me feel this huge surge of love for him like a wave washing over me. But immediately afterward, I felt guilty. Why should I be feeding a crush when Stephanie had breast cancer?

"You're an asshole Daniel" I said finally because I was so pissed. Daniel gaped at me.

"Geez! What did I do?!" he exclaimed but I ignored him and fell back onto the towel, my hands pressed against my eyes. I wished that I could forget this day ever happened.

Later that day when Cody and Daniel decided to go night-fishing, Dolph declined even though night-fishing was his favorite thing to do. He just wasn't in the mood so they left him with me. We watched TV and played cards. We spent that whole summer together, just him and me without Cody or Daniel. We cemented things that summer in a way that Dolph became my friend forever.

Dolph would wake me up early some mornings and we'd go collect shells or sand crabs or ride our bikes to get ice cream. He taught me the constellations and how to swim faster. When it was just the two of us, he didn't joke around as much but he was still the Dolph that I knew and loved. Neither Daniel nor Cody knew what was going on and they both seemed pretty jealous of all the time we spent together but it didn't affect us. We had both gone through the same thing and it strengthened us.

From that summer on, I felt closer to Dolph than I did to Daniel or Cody. Maybe it was because Dolph was nicer to me. Maybe it was because we had so much in common and were alike in most ways. Maybe it was because he was someone's little sibling. Or maybe it was simply because Dolph was that kind of person. Either way, Dolph had a talent for making people feel comfortable.

**Awww poor Dolph! How difficult would it be to find out what your mom is going through! And now you all know what kind of cancer Stephanie had and how serious it was. What do you think of Dolph/Kaitlyn/Cody now?**


	6. Chapter 6

It had been raining for three days straight and by the fourth day, Dolph was going crazy. He wasn't the kind of person to stay inside all the time. Dolph was always on the move. He finally said that he couldn't stand being inside anymore and asked us if we wanted to go to the movies.

Cody was in his room and when Dolph asked him to join us, he turned us down. I knew that Cody had been hurting Daniel's feelings lately because of all the time he spent alone. Daniel was going to leave for college soon with our dad but Cody didn't seem to care. Whenever he wasn't at work, he was in his room listening to music.

So it ended up being Dolph, Daniel and me. I convinced them to watch a chick flick because it was the only thing playing at the time we arrived. I would have much rather watched the new superhero movie that was out but it had started over an hour ago. Yeah I know… I am way too much of a tomboy. About five minutes into the movie, Daniel stood up disgusted.

"I cannot watch this garbage anymore! You coming Dolph?" he asked. Oddly enough, Dolph shook his head.

"Nah. I'll just stay here with Katie" Dolph answered looking relaxed in his seat. Daniel was not the only one surprised. The movie really _was_ awful.

"Alright. I'll meet you guys here when it's over" he shrugged and left. Not long after, a big man came and sat in front of me.

"I'll trade you" Dolph whispered. I thought about saying no but then decided against it. This was Dolph! I didn't have to be polite so I agreed but to see the screen Dolph had to lean towards me. His hair smelled amazing. It was funny because here he was, this big tall football player but he smelled so sweet. I barely watched the movie and spent the whole time watching Dolph. When had Dolph become so… so handsome?

Halfway through the movie, Dolph got up and came back with a large Coke and a pack of Twizzlers. I reached over to take a sip but I noticed there were no straws.

"You forgot the straws" I whispered but Dolph just grinned. He ripped open the Twizzler box and bit the ends off of two Twizzlers. He then put them into the soda and winked at me. Of course! I'd forgotten all about our Twizzler straws. It had become our thing that summer two years ago. We sipped out of the straws at the same time like we were in those Coke commericals – heads bent, foreheads almost touching. I wondered if people thought we were a couple.

Dolph looked at me, smiling and suddenly I had this crazy thought. _Dolph McMahon wants to kiss me_. It was crazy! This was Dolph after all! He'd never looked at me like that before and I liked Cody, even when he was all moody like he is now. It had always been Cody that I noticed. I'd never even considered Dolph before, not with Cody always there. And of course, Dolph had never looked at me that way either! I was his friend, his movie-watching partner. I was the girl he shared secrets with not the girl he kissed.

But you know what was craziest of all? I actually wish that Dolph _had_ kissed me. For the third time.

**Okay so I'm sooo sorry that this chapter is so short but I don't think that anything else fit in here. And the ending wrote itself on its own so I'm sorry! I'll put up the next chapter too just to make it up to you all! Anyway, what do you think of Dolph and Kaitlyn? What did Kaitlyn mean "for the third time"?**


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